By Jake Donovan
It’s a question that Jermall and Jermell Charlo knew they would eventually have to field once they began rising in the ranks: whether or not the time will come when they fight each other.
The twin brothers were able to avoid such a question for as long as they’ve been pro boxers – Jermell having just completed six years in the game last December, while Jermall came along nine months later. However, both are now among the top super welterweights in the world, with Jermall the first of the two to land a major title fight as he faces Carlos Molina on March 8 in Las Vegas.
The bout serves in supporting capacity to a pay-per-view headlining showdown between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Alfredo Angulo, both of whom also campaign in the super welterweight division. There exists the possibility that the winners of the separate 154 lb. bouts go on to face each other down the road.
At least, it’s a more likely scenario than the Charlo brothers engaging in an in-ring family feud.
“Our belts are going to hang up together,” Charlo (17-0, 13KO) insists, suggesting a course of action similar to that of Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko. The towering brothers dominated the heavyweight division to the point of running out of opponents save for each other.
Vitali has since retired, or at least severed all ties to his alphabet title, which is now vacant. Wladimir continues to rule the heavyweight roost with no end in sight.
The Charlo brothers are a long way from that point, but both have taken significant steps in 2014 to lead down that road. Jermell is coming off of a career-best win, a sound 10-round decision over Gabriel Rosado this past January in Washington D.C.
Despite boasting a higher ranking in the sanctioning organization claiming Molina its champ, it was Jermall—who has scored 11 consecutive stoppage wins, though boasting the lesser résumé of the two—who landed the dream assignment first.
“Me and my brother stick by each others side… (but) it came with a little bit of laughter,” Charlo admits when recalling his twin brother’s reaction when first learning of the title fight.
Molina (22-5-2, 6KO) remains a tough out for anyone in and near the super welterweight division. Charlo is cognizant of this, even going as far as to view him as “an undefeated fighter at heart. He don’t deserve none of the losses on his record.”
Still, while Charlo remains confident of victory, nothing else is on his mind beyond March 8—least of all a fight with his brother.
“I don't think anyone would want to see me and my brother fight each other, even if a lot of people want to know about that,” Charlo suggests. “It's not going to happen.”
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
